ℚ𝕦𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕠𝕗 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕤 | ℙ𝕁𝕆 𝟙

♡ III ♡

𝒹𝒾𝓉𝒸𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔

Okay, so I felt a little guilty about ditching Grover, but come on. I just found out I was probably going to die, might as well live life to the fullest. I mean, he was really starting to freak us out, so as soon as he went to the bathroom, I took the opportunity with no hesitation. Percy flagged down a cab and we made our way to his apartment.

The ride was silent, our heads both reeling with what we found out, before Percy suddenly spoke up. "What is it that you're not telling me?" I looked over to him and he was staring at me intently.

"Percy-"

"No, tell me. Because this- this 'thing' that you two are supposed to protect me? It's freaking me out. Those ladies at the fruit stand- that yarn... it's not just a superstition, is it?" He said it all in one breath, and I could see him start to panic. "I mean, this isn't the first weird thing that's happened... when I was young there was this guy with one eye at my school, but no one believed me. And in daycare, two snakes snuck in and-"

"Percy! Please, stop... the less you know the better. The less they know." I pleaded, a sense of dread overcoming me.

He scoffed, "What do you mean, 'they', who are they? What are they?"

"I can't tell you. They'll feel it, they'll come for you." I explained, guilt churning in my stomach. "Just promise me you'll tell your mum about- about everything, about Mrs Dodds, about the fruit stand-"

"So there was a Mrs Dodds! I'm not crazy!" He blurted out, and I winced.

"Promise. Me." I said seriously, and he nodded.

"Yeah, I promise." Once he said that, I relaxed and lay back against the seat.

It took a little while to get to the apartment, but once we did, Percy turned to me and said, "Brace yourself." And I wrinkled my nose as I had heard stories of his wonderful stepdad.

"Ugh." Was all I said, before we got out and travelled up the steps of the building.

When we got inside, I found 'ugh' was an understatement.

There were four men around a table playing poker, chips packets and beer bottles laying around on the floor. I stepped to the side as to not stand on one and kept close to Percy once I saw the man himself. He was disgusting, to put it plainly, and I could see while he was called smelly Gabe. His odour was so strong, it was the only thing I could smell, and it was so, so, bad. He had stubble covering his enormous double chin, and crumbs and stains all over his shirt.

Barely looking up, he grunted at Percy. "So you're home."

"Where's my mom?" Percy asked without skipping a beat. I shuffled nervously as he looked up, his beady eyes landing on me for a second, before they travelled over to the boy next to me.

"Working. You got any cash?"

That was it. No 'how was school?' or 'welcome back!'

"I don't have any cash." Percy said, and I knew it was a lie because he was the one who paid for the taxi.

Gabe realised this. "You got a taxi from the bus station. Probably paid with a twenty, you must have six, seven dollars change. Somebody expects to live in this house, they got to carry their own weight. Am I right, Eddie?"

No, you're not. I thought furiously, this wasn't even his house!

"Come on, Gabe, the kid just got here!" This 'Eddie' guy protested.

"Am I right?" He repeated, and Eddie scowled into his bowl of pretzels.

"Fine. I hope you lose." Percy said as he handed Gabe some cash, and I smirked, proud. He took my arm and led me to his room.